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Walt Disney Home Video (1st generation)
The first generation of Walt Disney Home Video dates back to the beginning of the 1980s decade, just after VHS tapes were invented. This generation lasted before the existence of the 1990 Walt Disney Pictures logo. The last two first-generation animated films, The Little Mermaid and Peter Pan, were discontinued in May 1991, followed by all of the animation-combined live actions in 1994. Some of the live action films, however, were re-printed in 1992 and 1993, and later got DVD releases in the 2000s. Today, only the DVD prints of such films remain in stock, like The Journey of Natty Gann, Flight of the Navigator, and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The first Walt Disney Home Video titles (October 21, 1980) There were 13 titles, originally released for rental only on March 4, 1980, then for sale -- Pete's Dragon (1977), The Black Hole (1979), The Love Bug (1968), Escape to Witch Mountain (1975), Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier (1955), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), The North Avenue Irregulars (1979), The Apple Dumpling Gang (1975), Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978), On Vacation with Mickey Mouse and Friends, Kids Is Kids, and The Adventures of Chip 'n' Dale. Certain tapes also include previews of other Disney titles. For example, the 1980 VHS of The Black Hole has trailers for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Pete's Dragon, and the 1980 VHS of Pete's Dragon has trailers for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Davy Crockett and the River Pirates. Bedknobs and Broomsticks first premiered on premium cable television on Showtime in the early 1980s. Petesdragon 1980.jpg|Pete's Dragon (1980 VHS) bedknobsandbroomsticks_1980vhs.jpg|Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1980 VHS) Mary Poppins (December 30, 1980) This was the 14th title to be released by Walt Disney Home Video, after its last theatrical release on May 23, 1980. The film later premiered on HBO in 1980. During sales of this VHS, Mary Poppins aired on network television for the first time on CBS on November 22, 1981. The film was rebroadcast on CBS on November 25, 1982. marypoppins_1980.jpg|Mary Poppins (1980 VHS) Dumbo & The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (June 26, 1981) On this date, two films were released on VHS -- Dumbo and The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. After the movie would be trailers for for Old Yeller (1957), Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959), and Mary Poppins (1964). Additional titles released on the same date were The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979), Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (1956), The Absent-Minded Professor (1961), Gus (1976), and The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968). Later prints from 1982 for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh had two different trailers -- Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (the same one from the Pete's Dragon 1980 VHS) and The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band. As for Dumbo, it had trailers for The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and Davy Crockett and the River Pirates. dumbo_1981vhs.jpg|Dumbo (1981-1983 VHS) winniethepooh_1981.jpg|The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1981-1983 VHS) Alice in Wonderland (October 15, 1981) In addition to the VHS releases of Alice in Wonderland (1951), which was last released in theaters on April 3, 1981, there were more films released -- Old Yeller (1957), Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959), Amy (1981), Treasure Island (1950), Herbie Rides Again (1974), The Shaggy Dog (1959), Goofy Over Sports, Pollyanna (1960), the documentary "A Dream Called Walt Disney World", and more. aliceinwonderland_1981.jpg|Alice in Wonderland (1981-1983 VHS) Walt Disney and You (1982-1986) Any tapes released with a stock number of "74VS" or later were released in 1982. Starting here, many certain videos, including 1982 and 1983 re-prints of movies originally released on VHS in 1980 and 1981, now had a 5-minute "Walt Disney and You" promo after the movie. The lineup at the end of this promo consists of titles that were released before 1982. "A Tale of Two Critters" is the only title that I didn't mention above that appeared on the promo. Some of the titles that were released here are The Three Caballeros (1945), Fun and Fancy Free (1947), The Parent Trap (1961), Snowball Express (1972), and A Walt Disney Christmas, the first Christmas title ever to be released on VHS from Walt Disney Home Video. At the end of this promo, you would briefly see the animation of the 1978 Walt Disney Home Entertainment logo. It would stop just as about half the "Neon Mickey" turns from blue to purple. Another logo, with the Sorcerer Mickey to the left and the words "The magic lives on... Walt Disney Home Video", would zoom in. The Happiest Millionaire (1967), The Three Lives of Thomasina (1964), Westward Ho the Wagons (1956), Tron (1982) was some of the few titles to have the 3-minute version of the Walt Disney and You promo. thethreecaballeros_1982.jpg|The Three Caballeros (1982-1983 VHS) funandfancyfree_1982vhs.jpg|Fun and Fancy Free (1982-1983 VHS) Christmas Promotion #1 (December 6, 1984) Originally released on television two years before the home video release, A Disney Christmas Gift is a compilation of animated shorts and feature film excerpts. The opening and ending both feature the song "On Christmas Morning" and its reprise. There are eight segments total. Three of them are also from A Walt Disney Christmas. During the credits, you can hear the 1st international Walt Disney Home Video logo's music. Not sure if this video had the Walt Disney and You promo, but I pretty much doubt it. This special also aired on the Disney Channel on December 15, 1993. The 1983 featurette, Mickey's Christmas Carol, was released on VHS for the first time the same year as A Disney Christmas Gift, very close to when it premiered on NBC on December 10, 1984. Also during the Christmas Promotion, the Walt Disney Classics brand was launched, starting with the 1984 VHS of Robin Hood. disneychristmasgift_1984.jpg|A Disney Christmas Gift (1984 VHS) White Clamshell Re-packaging (1984-1985) For the 1984-1985 season, the earliest Disney video titles were repackaged in white clamshell cases. Examples are Pete's Dragon on April 2 (following its theatrical re-release on March 9, 1984), Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier on June 24, and The Love Bug on October 27. About 6 tapes had closed captioning while also containing the 1983 Walt Disney Home Video logo -- Pollyanna, Pete's Dragon, Swiss Family Robinson, and early prints of Alice in Wonderland, Dumbo, and The Sword in the Stone (see the Walt Disney Classics page for more info). Some of them even had the Walt Disney and You promo, whether in its normal 5-minute version or as the shorter 3-minute version. Pete's Dragon premiered on network television for the first time on ABC on September 21, 1986. petesdragon_1985.jpg|Pete's Dragon (1985 VHS) Christmas Promotion #2 (December 3, 1985) In addition to the "Classics" release of Dumbo, several movies from the past were re-released on home video in 1985. The only title that was released for the first time on this date was the featurette "The Small One" (1978). The titles include Mary Poppins, the three "Herbie" movies, Tron, A Walt Disney Christmas, and The Black Hole. Each VHS was priced at $29.95, and like Robin Hood and Dumbo, the entire sale ended on January 31, 1986, and the videos went back up to their expensive prices. Mary Poppins made its debut on The Disney Channel in early 1986. The film returned to network television with an airing on ABC for the first time on May 3, 1987. It was later rebroadcast on ABC on November 24, 1988. marypoppins_1985.jpg|Mary Poppins (1985 VHS) Wonderland Sale (May 27, 1986) On the release date of Alice in Wonderland with the 1984 Walt Disney Classics logo, all other titles re-released on this same date had the 1983 Walt Disney Home Video logo instead. The titles included the two Davy Crockett movies, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and a few others. No one knows for sure when the Wonderland Sale ended, but I would say in around 1987, when the 1986 version of Alice in Wonderland was discontinued. Bedknobs and Broomsticks made its network television premiere on ABC on March 22, 1987 and was rebroadcast on ABC on February 12, 1989. bedknobsandbroomsticks_1986.JPG|Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1986 VHS) The Journey of Natty Gann (June 25, 1986) This is the date when the 1983 Walt Disney Home Video logo was about to come to an end. The last four titles to have this logo were Return to Oz (1985), The Journey of Natty Gann (1985), Return from Witch Mountain (1978), and So Dear to My Heart (1949). On October 14, The Journey of Natty Gann was re-released with the 1986 Walt Disney Home Video logo, and the movie also aired on ABC on October 4 and 11, 1987 in two parts. Later in May 2002, during Walt Disney Home Entertainment's 3rd era, this movie was re-released in clamshell cases, along with a DVD release. sodeartomyheart_1986vhs.jpg|So Dear to My Heart (1986 VHS) All Neon Mickey videos were discontinued in 1990. Christmas Promotion #3 (December 23, 1986) The newest Christmas video as of 1986, Jiminy Cricket's Christmas, ran for 47 minutes. Like A Disney Christmas Gift, it was also a compilation of film excerpts and cartoons. There were eight in all-- Nutcracker Suite Scene, Toy Tinkers, The Art of Skiing, You Can Fly, I've Got No Strings, The Mice Make Cinderella a Dress, Mickey's Good Deed, and When You Wish Upon a Star. The first print had the same logo combination as seen on Disney's Sing-Along Songs: Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah. Later prints from 1990 and 1992 had the 1986 Walt Disney Home Video logo without "presents". At the same time, the feature-length film One Magic Christmas and the featurette Mickey's Christmas Carol were released on VHS with the 1986 red FBI screens, the video dealer announcement and the 1986 Walt Disney Home Video logo with "presents". But do be careful when you buy Mickey's Christmas Carol; some prints may be mixed up, like the 1986 cover with the 1984 tape master. In fact, there is another version of the Mickey's Christmas Carol 1986 VHS that may not have the video dealer announcement. jiminycricketschristmas.jpg|Jiminy Cricket's Christmas mickeyschristmascarol.jpg|Mickey's Christmas Carol (1986 VHS) Flight of the Navigator (January 27, 1987) Flight of the Navigator was the 500th title to be released from Walt Disney Home Video. It aired on ABC on January 3 and 10, 1988 in two parts, and was re-released on VHS in 1993 during the 2nd era of Disney videos. The Three Caballeros (October 6, 1987) Although it is a Disney animated feature, it has the 1986 Walt Disney Home Video logo instead of a Walt Disney Classics logo, as this film never made it to the Walt Disney Classics series. For more information about this VHS, click here. Benji the Hunted (February 5, 1988) Benji the Hunted aired on NBC on February 19, 1989, then moved to the Disney Channel in April 1990, and was re-released on VHS in 1992 with closed captions included, during Walt Disney Home Video's 2nd era. Reruns on the Disney Channel continued through 1994. A DVD version came out on January 17, 2006. Mary Poppins (December 20, 1988) When re-printed in 1990, this movie would have the original Buena Vista Distribution logo. For more details, click here. $26.99 Promotion (October 12, 1989) Just shortly after Bambi was released on VHS for the first time, four earlier Disney titles were repackaged -- Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Dumbo, The Boatniks, and The Sword in the Stone. Some had a price tag of $26.99. This sale ended in 1990, when Bambi entered moratorium. Further details for the 1989 VHS of Bedknobs and Broomsticks will be explained here. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (February 5, 1990) This 1989 movie also features a trailer for Dick Tracy (which was later released as a Touchstone Pictures film) and a Roger Rabbit short cartoon called "Tummy Trouble". This movie aired on The Disney Channel on for the first time on September 23, 1990 and later aired again on May 26, 1991. The film made its network television premiere on CBS on November 26, 1991, and was re-released on VHS in 1997, followed by a DVD release in October 2002. It was originally priced at $19.99, but that price went down to $14.99 in 2005. Christmas Promotion #4 (December 25, 1990) At the end of every video released on this date, there would be a Disney Christmas video promo at the end. It appeared on videos such as One Magic Christmas, A Walt Disney Christmas and A Disney Christmas Gift. In the background, you can see the same Christmas wreath and hear the instrumental theme to "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" from Very Merry Christmas Songs. Some live action films, if any, that were never known to be released again on VHS after this generation actually got re-printed in the early 1990s (usually around 1992 to 1993). In this case, several online stores claim the release date of these videos to be March 18, 1997. In Other Countries United Kingdom (1984-1990) In the UK, Disney movies started off with all other available titles from back then in one whole promo, much like the promo for all the Dr. Seuss TV specials from Playhouse Video. As of 1989, they had Sleeping Beauty, Robin Hood, The Sword in the Stone, Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland, the Disney's Sing-Along Songs series, and lots of other great titles out there. Make Mine Music (April 1987) This film was released uncut on VHS in 1987. Japan (1985-1989) Fun and Fancy Free (April 21, 1985) This was the only time when Fun and Fancy Free got a laserdisc release in Japan. Of course, it was also one of the earliest, as Japan didn't release any Disney movies on VHS until early 1985. Back then, for the first two years, they used the first international Walt Disney Home Video logo from 1981 (which was mainly seen on European tapes). Make Mine Music (October 21, 1985) In this Japanese version, the segment "The Martins and the Coys" is included, which was cut from the 2000 U.S. release. The movie was later released on VHS, co-distributed by Bandai Video Network, with a price of 10,800 yen (which is more than $100!). Melody Time (January 25, 1987) When released on laserdisc on this date, the film contained the uncut version of the Pecos Bill segment. The 1st era of Disney videos ended in Japan on May 25, 1989, even though Bandai Video Network still owned the rights to them (but not for long). South Korea (1980s-1992) In Korea's 1st era, Walt Disney films were co-distributed by Dreambox Home Video. Some notable examples are: *Splash (August 1990) *Mary Poppins (November 12, 1990) *Return to Oz (December 19, 1990) *Splash, Too (June 27, 1991) *The Rescuers (July 30, 1991) *Tex (October 1991) Category:The Walt Disney Company Category:Videos released in 1980